Tom was friendly when we booked our room over the phone, but when we arrived we received a very FREEZING welcome. He offered us a free drink while we were waiting for the room, and could only serve me 1/4 a glass of lemonade because they were out (1/4 was good enough, as it was free), nice! He asked us to open a tap, because he didn't have to much change. we paid him 40USD upfront, he would charge the rest afterwards, fine! (check that bill!)
I became very ill and and was only able to eat crackers and a bit of yoghurt. My husband ordered cereal for breakfast (which came with too little milk, for which we had to pay extra), and when Tom came to get the plate, I asked him if I could use my husband's spoon. With an angry face, he pointed to a paper stating that one should not sit on the tables if one does not consume their breakfast. I repplied that I would love to have a real breakfast but that I was too ill, upon which he repplied arrogantly and with anger in his voice "oh, and that's the reason you have to sit here?" That is no way to treat a customer and definitely not one that is ill!
Then the check came... To our surprise, he had charged us: the free coffee and a lemonade (full price while I received just one zip) and the breakfast of my husband was 6USD more than on the menu. I guess the the overcharge was for the usage of the spoon?
he takes pride in warning his guests about the locals and talking bad about them. This made us feel very uncomfortable, as we are travelers that like to get to know the local culture, and interact with people we meet..

Our advice: If you go to Bastimentos: stay with the locals and not with this grumpy arrogant old man! You can stay cheaper, with nicer service and better value at the other hostels on the island, eat great breakfast at alvin's or the Pad Tai local pizzeria (not sure about the name) for halve the price. We will write to LP about this, as we do not want Tom and his wife to ruin the stay of future travelers, as Bastimentos is a fantastic place with a great vibe!

This is a long overdue review, but we loved Pension Tio Tom! My husband and I stayed in the separate bungalow, and Tom and Ina were both great hosts. They were helpful with information on hiking around Isla Bastimentos, going dolphin-spotting, visiting Isla Colon. They also whipped up some tasty coconut pancakes for breakfast. Would definitely stay here again.

In Bastimentos there are no mid-price/service options. There is either budget or all inclusive. TioTom's is the best budget option. The location on the water is hard to beat and all the water taxi drivers know exactly where to take you.

The owners have created a booklet that outlines all of the options for excursions and activities to do. They've listed prices you should expect to pay and even help arrange the trips. With their help we had a much easier time organizing a day trip for snorkeling, Dolphin Bay and Zapatillas than our friends who were staying in Boca.

The rooms are sparse but clean. Due to no rain in a few days, we were asked to limit or not shower since their water source is rain water. Given the pension is in the center of town you do get to hear everything going on in town even though the town is "sleepy". One night it was loud music, the second night it was dogs barking. Bring a good pair of earplugs because I don't think you could get quiet in any of the other lodging options either.

After travelling from Costa Rica, we were a little disappointed in our initial impression of Panama. Then we found Isla Bastimentos and Tio Toms! We highly recommend this hostel. It is over the water (how cool is that!) affordable, clean, and quiet. The German owners are very friendly and they offer family dinner (for $7) almost every night and all the guests eat together. Tio Tom and Ina are wonderful hosts and always have great conversation. There is WiFi. No kitchen. No hot water, but we enjoyed the refreshing shower. The deck is built on top of the water with hammocks. Our room had a private bathroom and shower. Also, if you do any adventures here look up Uwa, the best guide ever! Be sure to snorkel and check out the caves with him. All in all, we loved this place! R'amen!!!